FLYERS 5, PENGUINS 1
Leafs’ Kadri hit with 3-game suspension
NEW YORK — Toronto Maple Leafs centre Nazem Kadri has been suspended three game by the NHL for his hit on Boston Bruins forward Tommy Wingels in Game 1 of their first-round playoff series.
Kadri was assessed a five-minute major for charging and a game misconduct at 8:18 of the third period Thursday after leaving his feet and driving the head of Wingels, who was on his knees, into the boards.
The check came seconds after Wingels caught Leafs winger Mitch Marner with a high hit.
Kadri will miss Game 2 tonight as well as Games 3 and 4 in Toronto next week. Boston won the opening game 5-1.
This suspension is Kadri’s fourth in his career.
Stars’ Hitchcock retiring after coaching 22 years
Ken Hitchcock wasn’t sure how long he would coach the Dallas Stars the second time around after 15 years away. Turned out to be one season.
The coach who led Dallas to its only Stanley Cup retired on Friday, ending a 22-year career as the thirdwinningest coach in NHL history. The 823 wins are behind only Scotty Bowman (1,244) and Joel Quenneville (884). He’s also fourth in total games with 1,536. The 66-year-old Hitchcock will become a consultant for the Stars.
“I have contemplated this since our last game and I came to the conclusion that now is the right time to step away and let the younger generation of coaches take over,” said Hitchcock, who last year signed a multiyear contract that included the stipulation of becoming a consultant whenever he retired.
PITTSBURGH — Sean Couturier had a goal and two assists, Brian Elliott stopped 34 shots and the Philadelphia Flyers cooled off the Pittsburgh Penguins 5-1 on Friday night to even the first-round series at a game apiece.
Shayne Gostisbehere, Travis Konecny, Andrew McDonald and Nolan Patrick also scored for the Flyers. They bounced back from an embarrassing 7-0 loss in the opener to beat the Penguins for the first time this season.
Game 3 is Sunday Philadelphia.
Patric Hornqvist scored Pittsburgh’s lone goal with just over five minutes left to avoid the shutout, but the Penguins looked ordinary for long stretches after looking unstoppable in Game 1.
Matt Murray’s shutout streak dating to the 2017 Stanley Cup Final ended at 226:49 when Gostisbehere scored on the power play late in the first period.
Murray finished with 16 saves to lose for just the third time in 17 home playoff starts in his career.
Flyers coach Dave Hakstol made no changes to the lineup that was picked apart in the series opener, confident his team would respond the way it did during various parts of an occasionally turbulent season.
That included staying with Elliott, who was pulled midway through the second period in Game 1 after giving up five goals on just 19 shots. in
SILVERTIPS 4, HAWKS 0
EVERETT, Wash. — Carter Hart stopped 30 shots as the Silvertips blanked Portland in Game 5 to win their WHL second-round playoff series 4-1.
Jake Christiansen scored twice, including an emptynetter late in the third, and Riley Sutter and Gianni Fairbrother rounded out the offence for Everett.
Winterhawks goalie Cole Kehler made 39 saves.
The Silvertips will now face the Tri-City Americans in the Western Conference final. Tri-City swept the Victoria Royals in four games in the second round.